Reader's Digest Mediterranean Cookbook/Tess Mallos 1996

Vegetable Casserole (Ratatouille)
Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Calories % from Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol
6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A


INGREDIENTS:
450g/1 lb small aubergines salt 4 courgettes
2 green peppers 1 red pepper 6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled
125 ml/4 fl oz olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram or oregano 2 large onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper crusty bread, to serve



1 Cut the aubergines into slices about 2 cm/3/4 in thick. Put them in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave for about 30 minutes. Trim the courgettes and cut them into chunks. Halve the peppers lengthwise, discard the seeds and membrances and cut the peppers into wide strips. Cut the tomatoes into quarters.
2 Rinse the aubergines and dry with a cloth. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan until very hot. Fry half the aubergine slices briefly, until just lightly browned. Remove to a large oven dish about 5 cm/2 in deep. Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the remaining aubergines. Add to the dish with the prepared vegetables and sprinkle with the herbs.
3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
4 Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until transparent. Stir in the garlic and cook for several seconds. Spread the onion, garlic and oil over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil (dull side up) and cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for 10 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.
5 Clean the sides of the dish and serve hot directly from the dish, or allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with warm crusty warm.

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